Their lives are in danger – 40 have already died – and details of severe human trafficking are revealed.
In response to the alarming rise of Sri Lankan military members being lured into the war waged by Russia against Ukraine, a particular program has been launched to gather information on these personnel.
This is being regarded as a case of human trafficking, which has sparked a heated debate in Sri Lanka. It has been uncovered that these individuals have been recruited to serve as soldiers in Ukrainian and Russian military operations with the promise of high-paying salaries.
The details of how these individuals are transported and supplied to these foreign armies remain unclear. Still, the situation has raised many concerns about the safety and well-being of these Sri Lankan citizens.
A particular order from the President
As a result of human trafficking, a large number of ex-soldiers of this country have gone to Russia and entered the battlefield, and among them, nearly 40 people have lost their lives due to attacks.
Paying attention to those matters, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has informed the security forces to conduct an investigation into this trafficking and immediately identify the persons who committed the human trafficking.
Two people, including a major general, were arrested on suspicion
According to Police Media Spokesperson DIG Nihal Talduwa, the Criminal Investigation Department in the Kurunegala area arrested a former army general and a former army sergeant.
The suspects are being interrogated in connection with a racket involving the smuggling of ex-military personnel to mercenary camps in Russia and Ukraine. The police media spokesman has confirmed that other people are involved in this racket.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that this smuggling was done under the guise of offering jobs in the camps in Russia and Ukraine.
This information came to light in the last fortnight. It has been confirmed that nearly 600 ex-servicemen who fell victim to this smuggling have already gone to Russia and are now suffering severe persecution.
After charging 1.8 million rupees each
It has recently been revealed that smuggling has been taking place through fake advertisements published in newspapers.
These ads claim to provide job opportunities in camps located in Russia and Ukraine. People were charged an amount of 1.8 million rupees each with a promise of receiving a grant of 2 million rupees and a monthly salary of 7 hundred thousand rupees upon reaching Russia.
However, it has been confirmed that no allowance or salary has been paid to the people who fell for this scam, even after several months.
There is no action for those who died
It has been confirmed that no formal action has been taken regarding the deceased members and their bodies.
As a result, a significant controversy erupted in Sri Lanka after reports surfaced that almost fifteen individuals who had travelled to Russia had lost their lives. Another group had died in drone attacks.
The country was shocked by the discovery
The two Members of Parliament, Gamini Valeboda and Dayasiri Jayasekara, have raised concerns about human trafficking in Parliament.
Recently, MP Gamini Valeboda held a press conference to emphasize the gravity of the situation.
According to him, the Ministries of Foreign Services and Foreign Employment, as well as the Immigration Department, are following a silent policy regarding this smuggling.
He went on to express that this is a severe problem and that the top officials of these institutions may be involved in the racket.
His words highlight the need for swift action against this illegal activity, which exploits vulnerable individuals seeking a better life.
The request of the relatives of those who have gone to Russia
During a press conference, a group of family members of individuals who have participated in the Russian-Ukrainian war brought up the need for the government to conduct a formal investigation into the matter.
They also requested the government to negotiate with Russia diplomatically and bring back the people who had gone to that country.
As a result, the President intervened to develop a program to quickly address the issue of smuggling. President Ranil Wickramasinghe took steps to discuss this matter by calling the parliamentary representatives who disclosed this matter.
Following the discussion, the President issued a special order to the security forces to conduct investigations.
The responsible agencies are silent
The investigation revealed that various responsible institutions, including immigration, had made several inquiries regarding the process of sending citizens of a country abroad. However, despite these inquiries, no clear response was received from the institutions.
It is of utmost importance to stress that the relevant institutions must exercise greater caution and care when sending workers abroad.
Reports have indicated that the heads of government institutions established to facilitate the process of sending workers abroad have also contributed to this issue.
Therefore, these institutions must take a more proactive approach to ensuring the safety and well-being of their citizens working abroad.
